Total Power
by Arose1023
Summary: Can Liam help his brother, Wyatt, through the aftermath and heartbreak of his divorce? What are these feelings? And why does Wyatt suddenly feel the need to spend every moment with Liam? They're not sure what the feel, but they something is there.
1. Chapter 1

As he sat at his desk, drinking his coffee and reading the paper, he couldn't help but feel like something was missing from his life. It'd been not that long ago his entire world had been taken from him in a stroke of sheer cruelty. The love of his life, Steffy, had married Wyatt; his brother. However, the more he thought about the recent events, the more he found himself perplexed by the sudden lack of emotion and feeling he had towards her. Wyatt's mother, Quinn, had caused his marriage to Steffy to fall apart and yet, Liam had no urge to pursue a relationship with Steffy, to pick up their lives right where they left off. A knock at the door.

"Liam?" Steffy poked her head in, through the office door. "Do you have a minute?"

"Um, S-sure. What do you need?"

"I just wanted to talk to you…about…us."

"Us?" He had completely forgotten about their previous conversations about the love and history they have with each other. They talked about her leaving Wyatt and coming back to him.

"Liam, you were right. No matter how much I tried to tell myself, I still love you. I always have."

He couldn't help himself. To look into those eyes and see the universe gleam behind them. His universe. He wanted to take her in his arms and tell her everything was going to be okay and they could finally be together, but the feeling. This aching feeling in the pit of his stomach and the center of his chest. What was it? What did it mean?

"No." His mouth said the words before his mind could tell him not to say it; you idiot.

"W-what? Did you just say no? No what?"

"I…I can't be with you Steffy, not anymore." He could see her face twist and tears start to form in her eyes. Tear drops of the universe.

"W-what? Why not? Are you still mad about Wyatt? That's over now! I want you! It's always been you!" She was breaking down. She bore her soul and heart to him and he had denied her. Why?

"I'm not mad. I could never be mad at you. If you and I were to be together, my brother would be crushed. Wyatt's heart would be broken, and I don't think I could live with myself knowing I was the cause of all that pain he'd feel. I'm sorry."

She bowed her head and held it in her hands, not saying a word. Just crying, unable to move. What should she do now? Should she leave or stay and fight for the man she loves?

"I will always love you, Steffy. There will always be a place for you in my heart, but I can't. I can't and I won't betray my brother."

"But he betrayed you! Why give him this kindness?!" She was desperate, she wanted answers and for her pain to melt away.

"He may have betrayed me, but he is still my brother and I love him and I want to avoid causing him anymore pain than he is already feeling from your divorce."

She didn't know what else to say. She felt angry and embarrassed. Looking around the room then back to Liam and then finally walking out the door, leaving the office door open, behind her.

Liam just stood there looking at the open door, the door the universe had walked out through. As much as he loved her, he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief, as if an enormous weight had been lifted off his chest; he could breathe.

The phone rang. Sitting back down at his desk, Liam looked at the caller ID. It was coming from inside the building, Spencer Publications. He picked up the phone,

"Hello?"

"Liam? It's Wyatt."

"Hey, what's up? You know we're only a few offices away from each other. You could've just walked over here." Liam found this amusing, laughing to himself lightly, but not enough for Wyatt to hear.

"I know, but I heard Steffy was in the building and the only reason she'd be here is for you. She was here for you wasn't she?"

I took Liam a moment to answer. He had to answer, eventually.

"Liam?" Wyatt's voice snapped him back to reality. He didn't want to say yes, but if he said any different he'd be lying and he didn't want to lie, it's only cause his brother more pain. Your own brother lying to you about a simple, one-word answer.

"Yes."

"And?"

"And what?" What else did Wyatt want him to say? What kind of question is _'And?'_

"What did she say?" Liam could hear the cracking in his voice, the wondering, the sadness, and the heartbreak. Liam stood by his feelings on the lying.

"The she loves me still and wants to get back together. To pick up our lives right where they left off."

"Oh." More sadness and more heartbreak.

"But I told her no."

"W-what?!" Wyatt is beyond shocked and confused, "Why would you do that? She's Steffy!"

"She may be Steffy, but you're my brother and your wants and needs come first and I don't wish to hurt you any further. Being with her is not worth losing you as my brother for. I love you Wyatt, and I am going to see you through this divorce and this pain. Anything you need, anytime, anywhere, I'm there."


	2. Chapter 2

That's it; I couldn't take it anymore. He came to work, he moped around, he went home. That's all Wyatt did anymore. He never went out, never did anything, all because everything reminded him of her; Steffy. I didn't know what to do. I told Wyatt that he could talk to me, that he could come to me with anything, yet he still chose to suffer alone; never asking for help, and I knew he needed it.

It was Tuesday, 10:30 am and I knew he'd be here, at work. Where else would he be? If he wasn't at work he was at home, if you could call it that anymore, and he wasn't home. I wandered around for a while, until I found myself at the door of his office, I'm not sure how I got here. I knocked.

"Wyatt? You in there?" Nothing; no answer. I knocked again. "Open the door Wyatt. I want to see you. Please open the door." Again nothing. He didn't answer but there was this feeling, I know he's in there and I wasn't going to leave until he let me in. I knocked again, "Wyatt! I'm not leaving! So I hope you like the sound of me knocking on the door because it's not going away and neither am I!" I kept knocking, louder and louder than each knock before that, the knock started to turn into a pounding.

"GO AWAY!", he finally spoke; he shouted. He wanted me to leave, but I didn't want to leave.

"….no", you could hear the concern and pain in my voice, the pain of my brother shouting at me, the pain of him not wanting me there, the pain of his pain. I hated it. "Wyatt…please let me in. You need me…and I….I need you. Please."

At first there was nothing. A minute, maybe two, went by. I leaned my head onto the door, my thoughts and my heart in a slump. Then the door unlocked; he unlocked the door for me. I reached for the knob, slowly but surely I grabbed hold and turned. Cracking the door slightly I could see he had drawn the shades, the room was so dark. I peered my head in, "Wyatt?"

"What do you want Liam? Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"I don't want to leave you alone. You shouldn't have to be alone, not during a time like this."

"Funny. I thought this is what you wanted." Was that resentment, I heard?

"What do you mean? I would never _want_ to nor would I _intentionally_ cause you pain."

"But that's _exactly_ what you did! You stole my wife!" I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

"Stole? What do you mean stole? Steffy and I are NOT together!" How could I have stolen her? I don't understand.

"You know exactly what I mean! You stole her! You may not be with her, but you kept pushing her, kept encouraging her to leave me! And for what purpose?! All so you could have her to yourself! For what? The 12th time?!" I could feel the hatred radiate off his words, and I was melting. I was melting into a pool of my own self-loathing.

"I'm sorry! You're right, okay! I was selfish and wanted Steffy all to myself, so I kept trying to convince her to leave, to mask my desires of her, with her hatred for your mother! And I'm sorry, b-but, but…"

"But what?!"

"But I couldn't do it!"

The shock and confusion on his face was clear as day.

"Couldn't do it? Couldn't do it! You put all that effort into aiding in the destruction of my marriage, and you couldn't do it?!"

In all of our arguing I hadn't realized how close Watt had gotten to me, mere inches from my face. How could I not notice him stand up and move across the room? Wyatt I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.

"If it weren't for you and your _sniffing_ around, my marriage would've recovered just fine! You had your chance with her and you threw it away why couldn't you just give me mine?!"

I couldn't move, couldn't speak, I could barely even say anything.

"Say something!"

"…I don't know" I could barely even hear myself speak. He grabbed me by the front of my shirt and pulled me closer.

"What?!"

"I don't know!"

Aggressively releasing my shirt, I could see the pain, hurt, and disgust on his face.

"Get out."

"Wyatt please…"

"GET OUT!"

What was I going to do? I messed up. I hurt my brother. I disappointed my father. I rejected Steffy. And now it felt like I was alone. I wanted to fix things, especially with Wyatt, but I didn't know how. Please someone, anyone, tell me how.


End file.
